Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Amendment to postal service law could guarantee the public a chance for appeal building closures

Amendment to postal service law could guarantee the public a chance for appeal building closures | MLive.com
The amendment “would prevent the closing of any postal facility unless there is an opportunity for the public to appeal the closing to the Postal Regulatory Commission and for that appeal to be considered,” Sen. Levin said in an email message today.

Michigan's graduation rate dips slightly for 2011

Michigan's graduation rate dips slightly for 2011 | MLive.com
Some had predicted the class would struggle because it was the first to come under mandatory, tougher statewide graduation requirements that include more math, science and other courses than previously mandated.
But the dire predictions didn't come true,

Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague's decision not to run will have big political impact

Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague's decision not to run will have big political impact | MLive.com
Scolnik said. “While I have a great deal of respect for Tony and the job he did as prosecutor, I think in some instances he was too tough. … We can’t afford to keep so many people in prison and jail.”

Rep. Cleaver faces Bank of America suit, but could be bailed out by taxpayers

Rep. Cleaver faces Bank of America suit, but could be bailed out by taxpayers - The Hill's Floor Action
Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who is facing a lawsuit for failing to pay down a 2002 Bank of America loan that he used to buy a car wash in Missouri, could have a good chunk of the $1.5 million he owes paid off by taxpayers.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

American Universities Infected by Foreign Spies Detected by FBI

American Universities Infected by Foreign Spies Detected by FBI - Bloomberg
Michigan State University PresidentLou Anna K. Simon contacted the Central Intelligence Agency inlate 2009 with an urgent question.
The school’s campus in Dubai needed a bailout and anunlikely savior had stepped forward: a Dubai-based company thatoffered to provide money and students.
Simon was tempted.
She also worried that the company, which had investors from Iran and wanted to recruit students from there, might be a front for the Iranian government, she said.
If so, an agreement could violate federal trade sanctions and invite enemy spies.

The CIA couldn’t confirm that the company wasn’t an arm of Iran’s government.
Simon rejected the offer and shut down undergraduate programs in Dubai, at a loss of $3.7 million.

Muskegon blood donations remain on tentative schedule due to labor dispute

Muskegon blood donations remain on tentative schedule due to labor dispute | MLive.com
Local 459 alleges unfair labor practices by the American Red Cross, collective bargaining issues, concerns over health care negotiations and need for improvements in blood-safety practices.

Muskegon blood donations remain on tentative schedule due to labor dispute

Muskegon blood donations remain on tentative schedule due to labor dispute | MLive.com
Local 459 alleges unfair labor practices by the American Red Cross, collective bargaining issues, concerns over health care negotiations and need for improvements in blood-safety practices.

Governor's declaration in Muskegon Heights sets up process for emergency manager appointment

Governor's declaration in Muskegon Heights sets up process for emergency manager appointment | MLive.com
The next steps also are laid out by law:
The school board or its interim superintendent has until April 17 to request a hearing on the determination of a financial emergency.
That hearing will only consider arguments about whether the financial review team's findings "were supported by competent, material, and substantial evidence on the whole record," according to a letter Snyder sent to Muskegon Heights Interim Superintendent Dave Sipka.
If a hearing is requested, it will be held at 10 a.m. April 18 in Lansing before state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan.
  • Following the hearing, Snyder will decide whether to "confirm or revoke" his determination of a financial emergency.
  • If he confirms the the financial emergency, Snyder must then declare the school district to be in receivership and appoint an emergency manager "to act for and in the place and stead of the governing body and the office of chief administrative officer." Among the manager's powers is the ability to modify collective bargaining agreements.
    The school board has 10 business days to decide by at least a vote of two-thirds of its members to appeal Snyder's decision in Ingham County Circuit Court. The court can overturn his decision if it determines the decision was "not supported by competent, material, and substantial evidence on the whole record," or if it was "arbitrary, capricious, or clearly an abuse or unwarranted exercise of discretion."
  • Barring such a court ruling, the emergency manager has 45 days to submit to the state treasurer a financial and operating plan for the district. The plan will be "regularly reexamined" by the emergency manager and state treasurer, and can be modified by the manager.
  • Within 30 days of submitting the financial and operating plan, the emergency manager must conduct a public informational meeting on the plan.
  • The school district will remain in a financial emergency until the emergency manager declares, and the state treasurer and state superintendent agree, that the emergency has been rectified.

Muskegon County's dog-law oversight turned over to sheriff, treasurer

Muskegon County's dog-law oversight turned over to sheriff, treasurer | MLive.com
As part of the change, the three animal control officers and the clinic clerk will be transferred to the Sheriff’s Office, effective Oct. 1.
Dog licenses are already sold in several of the treasurers’ offices for local cities and townships.
The county Treasurer’s Office already has a working arrangement with those local treasurers’ offices. Therefore, some county officials expect the administration of the dog licensing to be more efficient to operate.

Governor declares financial emergency in Muskegon Heights schools

Governor declares financial emergency in Muskegon Heights schools | MLive.com
"Ensuring a quality education for the students of Muskegon Heights is our top priority," Snyder said in a press release.
 "The appointment of an emergency manager is the next logical step in restoring financial stability to the troubled district and, in fact, is a step requested by members of the Muskegon Heights Board of Education."
The school board four months ago asked that an emergency manager be appointed for the district, which ended last year with an $8.5 million deficit.

Tony Tague won't seek re-election as Muskegon County prosecutor

Tony Tague won't seek re-election as Muskegon County prosecutor | MLive.com
Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague announced Tuesday he will not seek re-election this year.
Tague, 54, has been the county's prosecutor since his first election in 1988. He is now in the final year of his sixth four-year term.
In a news release Tuesday morning, Tague said, "after considerable reflection, I believe it is time to turn over the reins."
BOMBSHELL!

China's cash buys inroads in Caribbean

NYT: China's cash buys inroads in Caribbean - World news - The New York Times - msnbc.com
The new stadium here, Bahamian officials said, was in part a reward for breaking ties with Taiwan in 1997 and establishing and keeping relations with China.
It is one of several sporting arenas that China has sprinkled in Caribbean and Central American nations as gratitude for their recognition of “one China” — in other words, for their refusal to recognize Taiwan, which Chinese officials consider part of their country.
“They offered a substantial gift and we opted for a national stadium,” said Charles Maynard, the Bahamian sports minister, adding that his government could never have afforded to build it on its own.

This is vote buying at the UN.
The USA just drowns small and large countries in money and gets NOTHING back in return.
Except contempt.

Disappearing data doesn't aid union's case

Editorial: Disappearing data doesn't aid union's case | The Oshkosh Northwestern | thenorthwestern.com
Problem is, those old surveys disappeared from WEAC's website.
Representatives from the union did not respond to questions from the State Journal.

Followup to Illinois Pension Issues

Followup to Illinois Pension Issues
"... post on an Illinois state official commenting on the unsustainability of the Teachers Retirement System in Illinois"

amazing dog lifeguard rescues pup

Monday, April 09, 2012

The Big Double Standard

Klavan On The Culture » The Big Double Standard
Some of you may be bothered by the fact that NBC News lied and is now lying about its lies in the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case.
As Breitbart.com reported while all the mainstream outlets except the Washington Post looked the other way, NBC News edited a tape of Zimmerman’s 911 call to make Zimmerman sound like a racist. A full description of the scurrilous edit is at the link.
When they were caught in their dishonesty, NBC News temporized.
When they could no longer temporize, they scapegoated a single unnamed producer, firing him late on the Friday before Easter/Passover weekend so no one would notice.
Then NBC News President Steve Capus released a statement to Reuters saying the deliberate editing of the tape to misrepresent the phone call was “a mistake and not a deliberate act to misrepresent the phone call.”
Some of you may read that statement and say to yourself, “Golly, Klavan on the Culture! How can Mr. Capus keep the word News in his title and not curl up in a ball of shame while tearing at his own flesh with his fingernails and begging God to forgive him for having sunk to depths of disingenuousness unimaginable to any real news person?”

EyeOnMuskegon 4-8-2012

St. Maarten KLM Boeing 747 landing (1080p)

IRS may be given the authority to restrict travel

IRS may be given the authority to restrict travel

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Elementary school teacher tells students Republicans are stupid

Elementary school teacher tells students Republicans are stupid | Fellowship of the Minds
On the heels of the Arizona high school teacher who let a lone student stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and the Masschusetts elementary school that tried to get rid of the words “God” and “bless” from Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the U.S.A.,” comes another teacher caught behaving badly.

Kalyn McMackin reports for The Daily Caller, April 5, 2012, that a Virginia elementary school teacher told her 6th grade class that “Republicans are stupid” and “they don’t care about anyone but wealthy people and businesses.”
Kristin Martin said this as Republican voters were filing into the halls of Colin L. Powell Elementary School in Fairfax County to vote on Super Tuesday.
One student told The Daily Caller: “It all started when this disabled kid came in and named all the Republicans candidates for Super Tuesday.
She [Martin] said to him, ‘I don’t like them, I think that they are stupid.’”

Detroit's work force lacking job skills; it's called a 'huge problem'

Detroit's work force lacking job skills; it's called a 'huge problem' | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
Most major cities see at least 60% of adults participating in the work force, either by working jobs or actively applying for them. In several cities -- Seattle, Charlotte, N.C., and Denver, for example -- more than 70% of adult residents are in the labor force.
Detroit's rate is the lowest among big cities: 49.8%

Sentenced to death for being old: The NHS denies life-saving treatment to the elderly, as one man's chilling story reveals

Sentenced to death for being old: The NHS denies life-saving treatment to the elderly, as one man's chilling story reveals | Mail Online
When Kenneth Warden was diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer, his hospital consultant sent him home to die, ruling that at 78 he was too old to treat.
Even the palliative surgery or chemotherapy that could have eased his distressing symptoms were declared off-limits because of his age.
His distraught daughter Michele Halligan accepted the sad prognosis but was determined her father would spend his last months in comfort.
 So she paid for him to seen privately by a second doctor to discover what could be done to ease his symptoms.
Thanks to her tenacity, Kenneth got the drugs and surgery he needed — and as a result his cancer was actually cured. Four years on, he is a sprightly 82-year-old who works out at the gym, drives a sports car and competes in a rowing team.

HOSPITAL CONSULTANT?

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Stabenow honored for helping MI seniors

Stabenow honored for helping MI seniors | WOOD TV8
A ceremony was held at the Grand Rapids Senior Neighbors Center in which Sen. Debbie Stabenow was recognized for her efforts.
Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, presented Stabenow with boxing gloves so she can continue the fight.

Sugar shock

BACON: Sugar shock - Washington Times
Once upon a time, there was a medical “consensus” that fats and cholesterol in the blood were major causes of heart disease.
Armed with this “settled science,” the public health establishment moved in the 1970s to expunge the offending substances, beyond a basic minimum deemed to be necessary, from Americans’ diets.
Food bureaucrats established dietary guidelines.
Physicians ordered billions of dollars of blood tests.
Pharmaceutical companies made tens of billions of dollars on drugs that suppressed cholesterol levels. Food companies, castigated in some quarters as soulless merchants of dietary corruption, were compelled to report the nutritional breakdown of their packaged products.
Badgered by public officialdom and the media over the decades, Americans slowly, grudgingly changed their eating habits.
What good did it do them?
Americans are more overweight, more prone to diabetes and more at risk of heart disease than ever before.
Now, it transpires, the public health consensus and settled science might not have gotten it right.
A new wave of scientific research finds that the worst culprit of all is sugar.
CBS‘ “60 Minutes” hit the highlights of that research in a show broadcast April 1, “Is Sugar Toxic?”

Population downer: Census watcher disappointed in Muskegon County's 2011 estimated totals

Population downer: Census watcher disappointed in Muskegon County's 2011 estimated totals | MLive.com
Michigan lost 7,448 people in the latest population estimate for 2011, a 0.07 percent decline to 9,876,187.
Other large counties with population declines were Wayne (Detroit), Genesee (Flint) and Saginaw – all from 0.5 to 1 percent declines.

Have Biff and Buffy dropped out of the workforce?

NetRight Daily » Have Biff and Buffy dropped out of the workforce?
Even the left-thinking MSNBC eventually stumbles upon the answer that Americans for Limited Government has been pointing to for months — the labor participation rate has been falling like a stone since Obama became president.
This means that a smaller percentage of the civilian working age workforce are actually participating in the labor market, and the 4.4 million people who have dropped out are simply not being counted as unemployed

Full Jail Forcing Flint Police To Give Tickets

Full Jail Forcing Flint Police To Give Tickets | Fox News
They show some of the suspects let go were those police said were driving on suspended licenses, driving under the influence, involved in assaults or caught during a burglary.

Spineless Illinois Politicians Propose to Shift Pension Burden to Schools

Spineless Illinois Politicians Propose to Shift Pension Burden to Schools - Kyle Olson - Townhall Conservative Columnists
Do they have the courage to look public employees in the eye and say, “We screwed up – we can’t afford what we promised,” and dramatically change the system?
Or will they continue playing games, putting local schools and taxpayers in an even more dangerous position?

Crowd Laughs As Tourist Beaten, Stripped And Robbed

Caught On Video: Crowd Laughs As Tourist Beaten, Stripped And Robbed
Caught on camera– a tourist being beaten in downtown Baltimore and instead of helping him, a crowd laughs and steals his belongings.

Commentary: 'Card Check’s' Big Lie Exposed

Commentary: 'Card Check’s' Big Lie Exposed [Michigan Capitol Confidential]
But when the election actually took place last week, 62 percent of the GSRAs who participated voted against unionizing.
This result exposes the big lie behind union demands that Congress enact “card check” legislation.

Tough decisions need to be made about Brookhaven

Viewpoint: Tough decisions need to be made about Brookhaven | MLive.com
I believe the county now has three choices.
We can keep things the same, we can privatize or we can simply sell the facility.

How Sturdy Is the Obama Narrative that 'Keeps Us Silent'?

Articles: How Sturdy Is the Obama Narrative that 'Keeps Us Silent'?
Regarding the nativity story of Barack Obama, Kimball notes that "[i]t's not just that you are not allowed to express certain opinions about the subject.
You are not even allowed to publicly entertain any questions about it."

Get $15,000 Off Your Chevy Volt or Nissan LEAF in Lansing, Michigan

Get $15,000 Off Your Chevy Volt or Nissan LEAF in Lansing, Michigan | PluginCars.com
A program in Lansing, Michigan, that provides what is likely the best deal in the nation towards the purchase of a plug-in vehicle has come to light over the last few days—and it's a wonder that it wasn't plastered all over the news to this point.
Using money from federal and local funds, the Lansing Board of Water and Light will match the already existing federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase a qualifying plug-in car, resulting in up to a $15,000 overall incentive package.
As an added bonus, the extra $7,500 is a straight-up cash payment that LBWL provides to you at the time of purchase, so there's no waiting for the next tax year to claim it. In addition, the LBWL will install, for free, charging docks in both the participants' homes and their places of work.
The catch?
It's currently only available to the first 25 people to purchase qualifying plug-ins in the LBWL service area.
Of course, the most observant among us will realize that the Nissan LEAF won't initially be available in Lansing, so the program will probably be restricted to just Chevy Volt sales, but LBWL tells AutoblogGreen that if somebody were to buy the LEAF somewhere else and truck it back to Lansing, they would also qualify for the extra $7,500 and the free home charging dock

GM cuts week from Chevy Volt production shutdown in wake of record sales

GM cuts week from Chevy Volt production shutdown in wake of record sales | MLive.com
DETROIT- General Motors Co. will reportedly recharge Chevrolet Volt production a week earlier than expected.
According to the Detroit Free Press, GM will resume production of the extended-range vehicle April 16 after a four-week shutdown, instead of the previously announced five-week shuttering.
The news comes in wake of GM reporting Volt sales of 2,289 units in March, the vehicle’s best performance since being launched in December 2011.
In March, the Detroit-based automaker said it planned to temporarily shutter and lay off 1,300 workers at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly in an attempt to meet production with demand, which has been less than enthusiastic in wake of a federal investigation and political scrutiny.
GM sold 7,671 Volts in 2011, well below GM CEO Dan Akerson's announced target of 10,000. However, Akerson thjis week told Bloomberg News that sales could reach at least 3,000 Volts a month sooner than later.
The Volt, which can travel about 35 miles on battery power before a small gasoline engine generates power to run the car's electric motor, has a base price of about $40,000 before an up to $7,500 tax credit from the U.S. government

Friday, April 06, 2012

The Real Causes of Income Inequality

Gramm and McMillin: The Real Causes of Income Inequality - WSJ.com
This growth in income inequality is largely the result of three dynamics:

1) Changes in the way Americans pay taxes and manage their investments, which were a direct result of reductions in marginal tax rates.
2) A dynamic shift in the labor-capital ratio, resulting from the adoption of market-based economies around the world.
3) The flourishing of economic freedom and technological advances in the Reagan era, which were the product of lower tax rates, a reduced regulatory burden, and an improved business climate.
These changes have not only raised the measured income of the top 1%, they benefited the nation and the world.

OLSEN: Dangers of academia's 'indoctrination mills'

OLSEN: Dangers of academia's 'indoctrination mills' - Washington Times
For decades, conservatives have documented and criticized how liberal ideology runs rampant throughout higher education. Hence William F. Buckley’s famous quip from the 1960s:
“I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.”
Fifty years later, few conservatives would disagree.
But could the problem be getting worse?
The Pew Research Center released a study in December showing that more Americans age 18 to 29 have a favorable view of socialism over capitalism.
In fact, this demographic has a net positive view of socialism (49 percent positive to 43 percent negative) and net negative view of capitalism (46 percent positive and 47 percent negative).

Energy Department prepares to approve more green loans

Energy Department prepares to approve more green loans - The Hill's E2-Wire
The Energy Department said Thursday it expects to begin tentatively approving new taxpayer-backed loans for renewable energy projects in the coming months.
The announcement comes about seven months after Solyndra, the California solar firm that received a $535 million loan guarantee from the administration in 2009, went bankrupt, setting off a firestorm in Washington.

D.C. Dem to Introduce Bill to Change Eating Habits in ‘Workplace and Community Settings’

The PJ Tatler » D.C. Dem to Introduce Bill to Change Eating Habits in ‘Workplace and Community Settings’
The representative for a district with higher-than-average rates of obesity-related conditions will return from recess a week from Monday to reintroduce her Lifelong Improvements in Food and Exercise (LIFE) Act.
D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) will say on the House floor, according to prepared remarks, that her bill is intended to tackle a health problem “that cannot be remedied through the health care system alone.”
The LIFE Act would give the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention $25 million “for a coordinated national effort to reverse increasingly sedentary lifestyles and diets that are high in fat and sugar.”

Peeps Evolvion into to a Cult Classic

Peeps Evolvion into to a Cult Classic | Easter Candy | BusinessNewsDaily.com
Handmade Peeps
Peeps have been around since at least the 1950s, when in 1953, to be exact, Just Born acquired the candy company that made Peeps — by hand.

Things You Didn't Know About Peeps

Things You Didn't Know About Peeps | Peeps Marshmallow Candy | BusinessNewsDaily.com

Academic Crimethink

Academic Crimethink - By Robert Weissberg - Phi Beta Cons - National Review Online
More important is how they promote academic self-censorship.
Step by step, academic novices learn the boundaries of permissible inquiry.
Imagine a fledging assistant professor circulating a meticulously researched, fact-laden article to colleagues concluding that European colonialism cannot explain the contemporary economic mess in Africa, a statement that clearly violates today’s academic orthodoxy.
Faced with a possible heresy in the making, a “helpful” more senior faculty would mentor him with, “I see your point, Smith, and I admire all your carefully assembled data, but let me advise you that this research on the impact of colonialism is very unsettled, is often controversial, and can easily promote stereotypes — perhaps even dangerous ones.”
Unless the fledging Professor Smith is a blockhead, he’ll get the message — don’t even think of going in there, and stick to the prevailing Marxist-favored pieties about the colonial legacy.
In a few short years the young Professor Smith will intuitively know the boundaries and, for good measure, not even think about venturing into taboo terrain.
No need for commissars.

Magazine publisher to launch new monthly covering West Michigan's high school sports scene

Magazine publisher to launch new monthly covering West Michigan's high school sports scene | MLive.com
Kelly Hill, a former contributor to The Grand Rapids Press and Advance Publications, will be managing editor of West Michigan Preps. Jayson Bussa, a former contributor to the Kalamazoo Gazette, will be the publication's associate editor and web editor.

Patient care priority as Cheboygan hospital closes

Patient care priority as Cheboygan hospital closes | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
With Cheboygan Memorial Hospital unlikely to reopen, officials said Thursday they are trying to make sure people in the area have access to doctors and other health services.
The hospital closed unexpectedly this week after a sale to Flint-based McLaren Health Care fell through over issues with federal licensing and certification for Medicare and Medicaid services.

Report: Michigan relies too much on nursing homes for poor seniors

Report: Michigan relies too much on nursing homes for poor seniors | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
In fact, 35 states spend fewer Medicaid dollars -- the bulk of state funding for long-term care -- on nursing homes, instead finding ways to help seniors age in place, said Lisa Dedden Cooper, author of the report and AARP Michigan manager of advocacy.
 Those services include aides or nurses who visit seniors in their homes, for example.
Survey results are clear that seniors want to remain in their homes as long as possible, and by one estimate cited in the report, community-based services, on average, can save $57,338 per participant per year, Dedden Cooper said.
"We know what people want, and we know what costs less. ... What Michigan is doing is neither of these things," she said.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Marion Barry apologizes for anti-Asian remarks

UPDATE: Marion Barry apologizes for anti-Asian remarks - District of DeBonis - The Washington Post
WRC-TVcameras caught the remarks:
We’ve got to do something about these Asians coming in, opening up businesses, those dirty shops. They ought to go, I’ll just say that right now, you know.
But we need African-American businesspeople to be able to take their places, too.”

Jesse Jackson Calls On Blacks To Wear Hoodies To Polling Places

Jesse Jackson Calls On Blacks To Wear Hoodies To Polling Places
Speaking to The Tom Joyner Morning Show on Wednesday, Jesse Jackson said:
"If a white kills a black we revolt, if a black kills a white it's jail time, we kill each other it's Miller time. It's as if somebody has the right to kill us."
Jackson then added "This right wing, we got to win the election, so wear your hoodie, put a voter registration card under your hoodie if you have a hoodie without a voter card you've been Hoodiewinked."

Ratings: Stewart & Colbert Trounced By Cartoons, Reruns, 'Pawn Stars'

gfjRatings: Stewart & Colbert Trounced By Cartoons, Reruns, 'Pawn Stars'
Jon Stewart pulled in a whopping 1.372 million viewers Monday, which only looks good when compared to Stephen Colbert, who pulled in less than a million.
Here's the list.
As you can see, something called "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and "Bad Girls Club" beat both of America's satirists pretty handily.
So did cartoons ... and reruns of cartoons.

Man, 78, recounts assault by 6 youths in E. Toledo

Man, 78, recounts assault by 6 youths in E. Toledo - Toledo Blade
While Mr. Watts was down the boys kicked him, over and over, shouting, "[Get] that white [man].
This is for Trayvon ... Trayvon lives, white [man]. Kill that white [man]," according to a police report.

White House releases USD 1.5 bln aid to Egypt, meets Brotherhood figures

White House releases USD 1.5 bln aid to Egypt, meets Brotherhood figures
The White House defended the decision to release USD 1.5 billion in foreign aid to Egypt, on Thursday, following meetings between U.S. officials and lawmakers and representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood in Washington.

Undercover Voter ID Investigation: You’ll Never Guess Which Liberal Groups Are Demanding ID

PJ Media » From PJTV: Undercover Voter ID Investigation: You’ll Never Guess Which Liberal Groups Are Demanding ID
What’s wrong with showing identification when you vote?
That’s an egregious civil rights violation if you ask the Obama Administration and liberal groups like the Center for American Progress, and the Advancement Project.
So what happens if you show up at the front door of these groups without ID?
Find out on this PJTV undercover investigation.

Heard on the Street: Planning lake's future, floating turbines and more

Heard on the Street: Planning lake's future, floating turbines and more | MLive.com
A diverse group of Muskegon leaders representing groups concerned with business and the environment are planning to make the future of the west end of Muskegon Lake a central community issue this year.
They are not just talking about the Sappi paper mill property that that has captured the community’s attention in the past few months.
This group is looking to repeat the downtown Imagine Muskegon process to elevate the public’s dreams for the future of the Muskegon Lake shoreline.
The focus could be on everything from the Lakeside business district to the future of the remaining Pigeon Hill property and, of course, the Sappi paper mill site.
Like was done for the downtown, the Imagine Muskegon Lake West effort would bring planning, architecture and design professionals together with interested citizens to brainstorm about the future.
The planning sessions would generate a consensus plan as to what elements should drive the future of the west end of the lake, which has such a huge impact on the overall community.

Monday's top headlines: Scottville boy catches huge mackerel on deep-sea trip | MLive.com

Monday's top headlines: Witness helps police catch robbery suspect, Scottville boy catches huge mackerel on deep-sea trip | MLive.com
Scottville boy catches huge mackerel on deep-sea trip

Union: Muskegon Heights school board unaware of right to advocate for district

Union: Muskegon Heights school board unaware of right to advocate for district | MLive.com
“The union has been banging on the door for over a month, saying we are willing to make concessions,” Kuiper said. “We have a plan.”
Employees had been asked, and refused, to take salary and benefits cuts ranging from 35 percent to 40 percent – the amount the interim administration said is needed to get the district back on track financially.
Kuiper asked for more time to figure out a plan to operate the district without an emergency manager.

Muskegon County floats $2 million loan to Brookhaven in accounting move

Muskegon County floats $2 million loan to Brookhaven in accounting move | MLive.com
“This is being more transparent than it’s ever been,” Hammersley said of the concerns raised about the loan.

MEA calls on members to form 'Rapid Response Team' to express union view in online stories, back 'Protect Our Jobs' ballot drive

MEA calls on members to form 'Rapid Response Team' to express union view in online stories, back 'Protect Our Jobs' ballot drive | MLive.com
Michigan Education Association leaders are calling on teachers union members to form a “Rapid Response Team” to quickly respond to online news stories, especially about the union’s “Protect Our Jobs” petition drive.

A sit-down with Muskegon's Sheriff: What should the county do with the existing jail if a new one is built?

A sit-down with Muskegon's Sheriff: What should the county do with the existing jail if a new one is built? | MLive.com
“My question is what are the county officials planning to do with the current jail once it builds a new facility?
Are they going to then find the funds to renovate it to another purpose or demolish it?”
Roesler said there are several options the county is considering regarding the existing jail

Muskegon County ranked last in Michigan in unhealthy behaviors and environment in national study | MLive.com

Muskegon County ranked last in Michigan in unhealthy behaviors and environment in national study | MLive.com
Although in the overall rankings for health outcomes and health factors Muskegon County moved up one position among the 82 Michigan counties surveyed, the county’s continued unhealthy behaviors and poor physical environment pose huge community challenges.

Video cameras for Muskegon County sheriff's cruisers closer to reality

Video cameras for Muskegon County sheriff's cruisers closer to reality | MLive.com
The Sheriff's Office has $167,000 budgeted under capital equipment for this purchase.

February local labor market improves; Muskegon County jobless rate down

February local labor market improves; Muskegon County jobless rate down | MLive.com
Muskegon’s overall employment rose in February by 1,000 jobs to 74,800 and is up 2,900 jobs from a year ago.
The unemployment rolls declined by 100 people to 7,700 in February, according to the state report.

Muskegon County ranks high in health screenings, prevention care

Muskegon County ranks high in health screenings, prevention care | MLive.com
Muskegon County’s clinical care system ranked 13th out of 82 Michigan counties in a study by the University of Wisconsin, but 63rd in health outcomes and dead last in health behaviors.

MAISD official: Muskegon Heights Head Start preschool needs improvement

MAISD official: Muskegon Heights Head Start preschool needs improvement | MLive.com
The decision to take over the program was made after classroom observations found the Muskegon Heights program to be lacking, Jones said.
“Their scores are far, far below the scores of other programs in Muskegon and Oceana counties,” Jones said.
“We are disappointed in those scores and we are making changes.
We need to improve the quality in our Head Start program in Muskegon Heights.”

Teachers: It takes more than replacing teachers, principals to turn around struggling schools

Teachers: It takes more than replacing teachers, principals to turn around struggling schools | MLive.com
People working in the classroom say there are fewer ill-prepared teachers than some think, and federal reform efforts need a holistic approach without casting blame.

Muskegon's health improvement efforts stack up against communities across the country

Muskegon's health improvement efforts stack up against communities across the country | MLive.com
The One in 21 initiative was launched last spring to put Muskegon County in position to be the healthiest county in Michigan by 2021.
The coalition working on the health issues includes business, government, churches, education, health care and non-profit agencies.

Wake-up call: Muskegon County leaders to continue to fight for healthier community

Wake-up call: Muskegon County leaders to continue to fight for healthier community | MLive.com
....teen pregnancy rates are heading in a positive direction.
The teen birth rate – babies born in Muskegon County based on 1,000 young women aged 15-19 – is listed as 52, down from 54 in last year’s rankings but much higher than Michigan’s 34 and the national average of 22.

School employee unions file suit over law prohibiting dues collection through payroll deduction

School employee unions file suit over law prohibiting dues collection through payroll deduction | MLive.com
Four unions representing teachers and other school employees are challenging a new law prohibiting school districts from collecting union dues through payroll deduction, calling the ban unconstitutional.

Would you sign a petition to get a Gov. Snyder recall question on the ballot? (poll)

Would you sign a petition to get a Gov. Snyder recall question on the ballot? (poll) | MLive.com: Michigan Rising members this week created buzz among MLive.com readers with a release saying that Snyder “abused children.”
“Gov. Snyder is bad for Michigan,” said Jan BenDor, the organization’s election specialist, in a release. “Our citizens cannot afford to wait another two years to get rid of this corporate monster; the recall will chop off its head.
Snyder and his cronies are destroying our cherished democratic institutions and democracy itself.

CNN Enhances Zimmerman 911 Again, Finds He May Have Not Used Racial Slur

CNN Enhances Zimmerman 911 Again, Finds He May Have Not Used Racial Slur | Video | TheBlaze.com
Recently, CNN enhanced audio of George Zimmerman — the man who shot Trayvon Martin — to try and determine if he did, in fact, use a racial slur while calling police on the night of the shooting.
Back then, it sounded like Zimmerman might have used the phrase “fu**ing coons,” and his critics have cited it as evidence of a racially-motivated attack.
But now CNN has enhanced the audio again, and the reporter is casting doubts that the term was used.

“It certainly sounds like that word to me,” Gary Tuckman said when the audio was first enhanced. But after the latest enhancement, he’s not so sure:
“Now it does sound less like that racial slur. … From listening in this room, and this is a state-of-the-art room, it doesn’t sound like that slur anymore. It sounds like … we‘re hearing the swear word at first and then the word ’cold.’ And the reason some say that would be relevant, is because it was unseasonably cold in Florida that night and raining.”
The audio expert agreed it sounded like “cold,” and said the new method gets rid of a lot more background noise but doesn’t change the voice or words.

£10bn refuel planes don’t work for RAF

£10bn refuel planes don’t work for RAF | The Sun |News
Tests have revealed the giant new Voyager air-to-air tankers are not compatible with RAF Tornados.
The connecting pipes which join aircraft together in flight LEAK when fuel is pumped through them.
Even more embarrassingly the system DOES work when it has been tried on US jets.

Germany set to tax young

Germany set to tax young
GERMANY is proposing to levy extra taxes on the young to pay for the costs of the country's growing numbers of old people, under government plans for a ''demographic reserve'' levy.
Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats have drafted proposals that, if law, would require all those over 25 to pay a proportion of their income to cushion Germany against a looming population crisis.
The German Chancellor's ruling party is seeking extra sources of revenue to pay for soaring pensions and bills for social care costs as Germany's ''baby boomer'' generation ages amid a decline in the birth rate

Carbon dioxide ended last Ice Age, scientists' new study says

Carbon dioxide ended last Ice Age, scientists' new study says | The Australian
Traces of CO2 - the principal greenhouse gas that traps solar heat - show that carbon concentrations in the atmosphere rose after temperatures were on the rise, not before.

Coon Set On Fire

Police: Pair Set 13-Year-Old Boy On Fire - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A 13-year-old Kansas City boy is back home after two teenagers poured gasoline on him and lit him on fire.

It happened Tuesday at the teen's home on Quincy Avenue, just down the street from Kansas City's East High School. The boy lives less than two blocks away from the school and was walking home when the attack happened.

Melissa Coon said her son turned from the school's stadium onto Quincy Avenue and noticed two teenagers following him. She said the teens followed her son home and attacked him outside his front door.

"And they rushed him on the porch as he tried to get the door open," she said. "(One of them) poured the gasoline, then flicked the Bic, and said, 'This is what you deserve. You get what you deserve, white boy'."

The two attackers ran away, and the eighth grader put the fire out with the shirt off his back. He managed to call 911 on his own, then his father. He was taken by ambulance to Children's Mercy Hospital and spent several hours in the hospital's burn unit.

"You could smell the burned skin," said Coon. "You could smell the burned hair. It was just horrible." Her son lost some of his eyelashes, eyebrows, and some of the hair around his face was singed. Coon said she knows her son is lucky -- but also can't believe someone would do that to her child.

Coon said the incident will have a lingering affect on her family.

"My five year old came in and asked me, 'Mom, am I going to get set on fire today?'" she said. "I was in tears."

Coon said her family will move from their home and her son will not return to East High School. She said he thinks his attackers may be students there.

Police said the two suspects are male and have facial hair. Police said one was wearing a blue hat, blue jacket, and shoes with the number 23 on the side. The other wore a blue hat, a black jacket, and wore glasses.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/news/30572405/detail.html#ixzz1rDZucYYQ

Ferris State advances to Frozen Four final

Ferris State advances to Frozen Four final - WSJ.com
Ferris State got the win in its first Frozen Four appearance and will face Boston College or Minnesota in Saturday night's championship.

10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About IL State Pensions.

Champion News | 10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About IL State Pensions
3. Less than 1% of state retirees worked 40 years.
If you work in the private sector from age 22 to 62 and retire on early Social Security at a maximum of $22,000 you will have worked 40 years.
It is extremely rare for state workers to work that long in spite of the large pensions.
 In fact the Top 100 Pensions average only 31 years work in IL for their average $227,000 pension.

Arsenic in Our Chicken?

Arsenic in Our Chicken? - NYTimes.com
That’s because my topic today is a pair of new scientific studies suggesting that poultry on factory farms are routinely fed caffeine, active ingredients of Tylenol and Benadryl, banned antibiotics and even arsenic.       
“We were kind of floored,” said Keeve E. Nachman, a co-author of both studies and a scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future. “It’s unbelievable what we found.”       
He said that the researchers had intended to test only for antibiotics.
But assays for other chemicals and pharmaceuticals didn’t cost extra, so researchers asked for those results as well.       
“We haven’t found anything that is an immediate health concern,” Nachman added. “But it makes me question how comfortable we are feeding a number of these things to animals that we’re eating. It bewilders me.”       
Likewise, I grew up on a farm, and thought I knew what to expect in my food. But Benadryl? Arsenic? These studies don’t mean that you should dump the contents of your refrigerator, but they do raise serious questions about the food we eat and how we should shop.       
It turns out that arsenic has routinely been fed to poultry (and sometimes hogs) because it reduces infections and makes flesh an appetizing shade of pink. There’s no evidence that such low levels of arsenic harm either chickens or the people eating them, but still...

Savings come slowly for hybrid, electric car owners

Savings come slowly for hybrid, electric car owners - Nashville Business Journal
If you're thinking about buying a fuel-efficient hybrid, electric or otherwise eco-friendly vehicle as a way to save money over time, do your homework — or be prepared to wait.
..........For drivers of the Chevrolet Volt ($31,767), the wait is even longer— 26.6 years.

Teens set kid on fire for being 'white boy'

Teens set kid on fire for being 'white boy' - New York Daily News
A 13-year-old boy who police say was doused with gasoline and lit on fire last week while walking home from school is recovering from first-degree burns to his face and head.
The boy was just two blocks from his home in Kansas City Tuesday when two teenagers began to follow him and then attacked him, his mother, Melissa Coon, said.
Police have described the suspects as black 16-year-olds, while the victim is white.
"We were told it's a hate crime," Coon told KTLA.

Zimmerman and Ketman

Articles: Zimmerman and Ketman
The most interesting question at this point in the Trayvon Martin case may be who believes the Party line and why.

Company's Most Common Tablet Mistakes

Company's Most Common Tablet Mistakes - WSJ.com
American Airlines was an early adopter of tablet computers.
As a result, it learned a lot about how best to use tablets—and where it could go wrong.

Thomas Sowell Dismantles Egalitarianism (Frances Fox Piven Edition)

Public bashing doesn't help create change we need

Letters: Public bashing doesn't help create change we need | MLive.com
"Over the last few years, I have seen more and more public criticism of our political leaders.....
.....Well, I am sick of it!
What happened to the days of respecting our local leaders for the tough decisions that they have to make and work together for a common goal of doing good for our communities and local governments.
To bark out the accusations that I listed above in the local newspapers and on the local radio airwaves erodes us all, much like a form of cancer.
To take those kinds of potshots is completely unfair, irresponsible, and immature."

Interesting.
Democrat candidate for county commission wants no public criticism of the democrat controlled county commission.
Who'd of guessed!

Grand Valley State University student sues, says guinea pig is 'emotional support'

Grand Valley State University student sues, says guinea pig is 'emotional support' | MLive.com
Battling a heart condition and severe depression, Grand Valley State University student Kendra Velzen takes such comfort from her pet guinea pig that her therapist formally prescribed an “emotional support animal.”

This story is so depressing it's gonna give me a heart condition.......gimme a break!

Mona Shores, North Muskegon reduce schools-of-choice openings

Mona Shores, North Muskegon reduce schools-of-choice openings | MLive.com
Some have complained that Mona Shores is restricting schools-of-choice openings to keep out students from Muskegon Heights, which is undergoing a financial crisis, faces the likelihood of an emergency manager and may even face closure next year.

Gov. Snyder signs dues collection bill; teachers union leaders call move 'blatant political retribution'

Gov. Snyder signs dues collection bill; teachers union leaders call move 'blatant political retribution' | MLive.com
School districts are no longer allowed to deduct union dues and fees from employee paychecks, a move teachers union leaders call “blatant political retribution.
.....Pratt said union leaders have not determined how they will collect dues.
He also said the union’s legal team is investigating how lawmakers can single out teachers unions.”

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Children no longer need facts because they can look them up on smartphone, claim teachers

Children no longer need facts because they can look them up on smartphone, claim teachers - Telegraph

Muslims angry at alleged vodka blasphemy

Muslims angry at alleged vodka blasphemy | News24
Muslims in the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan are up in arms at a vodka producer for including the word "Allah" on its liquor bottles.

No. 1 in corporate taxes

No. 1 in corporate taxes | TBO.com
As of Sunday, the United States has the highest corporate tax rate of any country in the world. Given the shaky state of our economy, it's not worth celebrating.
We got here because politicians have exploited voters' false belief that corporations pay taxes.

Coke caves in face of Democratic boycott threat

Coke caves in face of Democratic boycott threat | Washington Examiner
Democratic officials Wednesday launched a two-pronged attack on states with new laws requiring identification before voting, the highlight being a call to boycott Coke, Walmart and others that back a leading organization pushing for voter ID laws.
Coke was quick to react to the political boycott threat, pulling support from the targeted group just five hours after it was called.
Walmart said that support for a group does not mean it backs every decision by those groups

County board needs to ask more questions about how tax dollars are spent

Letters: County board needs to ask more questions about how tax dollars are spent | MLive.com
This is increasingly how business is done here in Muskegon County.
This same scam was successfully utilized to ram through seven union contracts last year.
No committee meeting.
No public vetting of a vote that essentially locks in 70-80 percent of county spending for the next three years.

Read it all and call your county commissioner!
Now!

Musings of a College Instructor

Articles: Musings of a College Instructor
A few years back, a student told me that she was "proud to be black, but not proud to be American."
Far too many black students harbor resentment and anger about America even though they have never experienced segregation.

There is much more here.
Read it all.
It won't make you feel good.....

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Are earmarks returning?

NetRight Daily » Are earmarks returning?
Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Government, said, “This is an open acknowledgement that earmarks are nothing more than legislative bribery to buy votes.
But what it represents is a further repudiation by leadership of the principles that got them in power in the first place.
 In 2010, Republicans pledged to ‘put us on a path to balance the budget and pay down the debt.’”
Rogers says he has a lot of support amongst House Republicans to get the earmark ban lifted, an issue which he brought up at a recent meeting of Republican members of the House.
As Rogers put it, “There was a lot of applause when I made my comments.
I had a few freshman boo me, but that’s okay.
By and large it was very well embraced.”

RINO ALERT!

Monday, April 02, 2012

'Massive Wealth Destruction' Is About to Hit Investors: Faber

'Massive Wealth Destruction' Is About to Hit Investors: Faber - US Business News - CNBC
Runaway government debts have triggered uncontrolled money printing that in turn will lead to inflation that will decimate portfolios, according to the latest forecast from "Dr. Doom" Marc Faber.

Obama’s unsettling attack on the Supreme Court

Obama’s unsettling attack on the Supreme Court - PostPartisan - The Washington Post
Obama’s assault on “an unelected group of people” stopped me cold.

Solar Trust seeks bankruptcy protection in Del.

Solar Trust seeks bankruptcy protection in Del. - Yahoo! News
: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and California Gov. Jerry Brown were on hand last June when Solar Trust broke ground on a 1,000-megawatt project in California.
The project was touted as the world's largest solar power plant and a keystone of the Obama administration's efforts to promote solar energy.

Four charged in connection with fake petitions

Four charged in connection with fake petitions - southbendtribune.com
SOUTH BEND – Four people have been charged in connection with an investigation into fake petitions to place Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the Indiana primary ballot in 2008.
Butch Morgan, former head of the county Democratic Party,

Clinton Avoids Criticizing Decision of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to Run for Presidency

Clinton Avoids Criticizing Decision of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to Run for Presidency | CNSNews.com
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sidestepped an opportunity Sunday to question the Muslim Brotherhood’s decision to abandon its pledge not to run for the Egyptian presidency in upcoming elections.
This is the latest move by the veteran Islamist organization to consolidate its hold on the country

GM delays production of Chevy Volt for another week.

GM delays production of Chevy Volt for another week.

Could more school districts eliminate superintendents like Muskegon Heights?

Could more school districts eliminate superintendents like Muskegon Heights? | MLive.com
The district ended last year with an $8 million deficit and has $4 million in overdue bills to vendors.

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Sweden mulls shaving products ban for minors

Sweden mulls shaving products ban for minors - The Local
Sweden wants to draw up legislation that would bar anyone under 18 from purchasing shaving products, after a spate of bullying towards women who are "pro-hair" highlighted public health concerns.

EyeOnMuskegon 4-1-2012

'If you don't believe in climate change you must be sick': Oregon professor likens skepticism to racism

'If you don't believe in climate change you must be sick': Oregon professor likens skepticism to racism | Mail Online
The scientists behind the event recently put out a statement calling for humans to be packed into denser cities so that the rest of the planet can be surrendered to mother nature.

And fellow attendee Yale University professor Karen Seto told MSNBC: ‘We certainly don’t want them (humans) strolling about the entire countryside.
We want them to save land for nature by living closely [together].